Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, commended his squad after a 3-2 victory over Southampton in the second half.
Before Mohamed Salah saved them, the Premier League leaders were on the verge of losing to the lowest team.
The home team seized a surprising 2-1 lead after the restart as Liverpool failed to capitalise on a Southampton blunder that had given them the opening goal.
Then, Salah scored twice, giving Liverpool an eight-point lead at the top.
“In the second half I saw the intensity I was looking for in the first half.
“Southampton make it really difficult for many teams, including top clubs, and they made it difficult today, though we dominated the game completely,” Slot told Sky Sports.
“There was not enough urgency to arrive in the box (in the first half), we just kept the ball instead of attacking the box.
“Although we fell behind in the second half we showed more urgency and intensity.
“That led to numerous chances and eventually two goals. It is tough to create chances against a 4-5-1 low block but we know Southampton want to play out from the back so you have to be really aggressive, if not they have a really good game plan”.
Salah has scored six goals in his past five league games, and his double put him two goals behind top scorer Erling Haaland with ten goals this season.
Salah only needed to touch the ball outside the box once to allow it to glide past the charging goalkeeper and into the net before he scored the game-winning penalty kick to surprise Southampton with his first goal.
“If you want to win you need to score goals and we know Mo can score,” Slot said.
“For me his first goal is the most important as we scored out of nowhere. Then after that it was just waiting for us to score another.”
Slot has already won 10 of his 12 Premier League games as Liverpool’s manager in his first season, but he faces what could be his most difficult week yet when they play Manchester City on Sunday and Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“They are two teams who have dominated football the last few years. So two big games and that’s why we needed to win today. That is what I am happy about,” Slot said.
